It was a while
by Odat
Summary: He'd been gone for a while and I was forgetting his eyes. Soul and Maka.


He had been sent away at first for a week and then two, and then a month. When he called to tell me that it might be longer I had bit my lip and nodded, what else could I do? It wasn't until he'd been gone for almost three months that Lord Death told me that they weren't sure when he was coming back. I nodded again and went on. We both had jobs and sometimes we didn't get to do them together. Soul and I tried to talk as much as possible, but sometimes he couldn't; it wasn't safe or he was in such a remote area he didn't have access.

He never sent post cards, he admitted that it was too close to what my mother did, instead he'd send packages filled with odd things and books that he thought I might like. He mostly tried to call though, but I couldn't sit around by the phone all day waiting for him. I was a top rated meister, I had missions and classes to teach.

Then a year went by without a word. Lord Death would only tell me that Soul was still alive and my own papa wouldn't tell me no matter how I begged and pleaded with him. I threw myself into work, there wasn't much else for me to do and it helped me ignore the dust gathering on his things.

The second year hurt less. I boxed up the little reminders of him in our apartment and put them in his room. I had a small soul shaped cupcake on his birthday to honor him that year.

The third year went by quickly, I found I was able to resonate and fight reasonably well with a spear weapon named Ryo, so much of our time was spent fighting pre-kishin and the odd witch. Paying for a double apartment was hard on my salary so I had my things moved across town to a small studio apartment with a nice view of the park. I had his boxes put into storage.

I forgot to celebrate his birthday during the fourth year.

The fifth year began with a spike in witches. Ryo hesitated during a fight with a particularly mean witch and I was badly injured. The casual partnership ended as I lay bleeding out on the floor and he ran to get help while the witch laughed above us. Ryo didn't come back. The witch didn't let me die. I was a prisoner of the witches for almost a month before a rescue party was sent out to retrieve me.

I spent a lot of time curled up in the corner of my couch watching my tea cool, jumping at the slightest noise after that. My friends were wonderful, when my nightmares were completely unbearable they would sit with me in the dark and not say anything. Moments like those reminded me of a white haired boy whose eyes I was quickly forgetting. It took months before I was ready to go back, having my trust broken and being left at the enemy's mercy was not an experience that could be healed quickly. I had new scars and new insecurities and worries, but Lord Death understood and allowed me to take mission that would not need a partner.

I walked by him in the hallway after finishing teaching my class on Soul Resonance. I was sad, but I couldn't really remember why. I had been focused on going home to make some hot chocolate and read a new book Marie had recommended to me. So when a deep and rough called out my name I wasn't sure who it was. There was a tall man with broad shoulders and a sharp angular face leaning up against the wall. The black leather jacket did nothing to hide how strong he was. "Hey Maka. Long time no see, yeah?" His hair was longer, but I hardly remembered how it was before. I searched his face for a moment, he looked jetlagged and haggard, but when I settled on those red eyes of his that I thought I had forgotten everything came rushing back.

It had been almost six years without a single word from him. I hadn't even known if he was alive for the past four years. His smirk slowly faded into a gentle smile and his eyes softened. He offered me his hand and by some miracle before my brain could even catch up, my hand was in his. I was more surprised than he was at the lack of hesitance in my step as he pulled me to him.

I guess when you haven't spoke in so long, words aren't really what you need. So when Soul "Eater" Evans, Death Scythe and returned hero, kissed me in a school hallway I understood what he wasn't saying. Students and other teachers erupted in wild cheering, even Lord Death came down to see what all the commotion was and started to clap with his enormous hands. Soul just clutched me tighter and rested his forehead against mine as we both panted quietly. He had been gone for so long and it had hurt so much, but I didn't realize just how much pain I had been in. Soul pecked my lips and smiled.

A loud wolf whistle from Black*Star pulled us back into the real world and we flinched when we noticed the size of the crowd that had gathered around us. Years of battle instincts had Soul sliding in front of me to protect me. The seasoned meisters and weapons recognized the move for what it was and burst out laughing before moving on. The students who had gathered fled when Soul snarled.

We were left standing alone before Soul's hand was in mine again and we were moving out of the school.

AN: Hi Soul Eater people. I'm new here but desperately in love with Soul and Maka. There will be follow ups, some for the future, and some from the past. I just want to explore this little world I've created.

Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed.

Odat


End file.
